US Supreme Court to hear case with Oregon implications

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The U.S. Supreme Court plans to hear a case with implications for Oregon’s non-unanimous jury system.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports Oregon is the only state where juries can render non-unanimous verdicts. Criminal defendants, not including those charged with murder, can be found guilty on votes of 10-2 or 11-1.

The court will hear a 2014 Louisiana case, in which a 10-2 jury convicted a man of second-degree murder. Louisiana voters later approved a ballot measure doing away with non-unanimous juries.

During the last legislative session, the Oregon District Attorneys Association spoke out against non-unanimous juries and supported a bill that would’ve put the issue before voters in 2020. The legislation died after the court agreed to hear the Louisiana case.